Gettysburg Borough Police Chief Robert Glenny is reviewing special event protocols in response to a recent attack that occurred in New Orleans, Louisiana.
On New Year’s Day, a man intentionally drove a pickup truck into a crowd of partygoers on Bourbon Street in New Orleans’ French Quarter. Fourteen people were killed and the driver died in a shootout with police.
Glenny told the borough council during their meeting on Monday that a final report on the incident is still pending, but he plans to study it and determine how he can make Gettysburg safer.
“Unfortunately, there might be some more recommendations coming down for security for bigger events,” Glenny said.
Keeping the borough safe, especially during special events, has been the chief’s focus since he took office in 2019. Before Glenny’s arrival, borough staff closed off streets during special events with movable barriers. Glenny mandated using large concrete blocks that require a backhoe to move. He also deployed drones and explosive-sensing detection dogs.
Glenny received much public criticism at the time because the concrete blocks required streets to be closed longer than they were previously. Additionally, the increased labor costs led to events’ price tags skyrocketing. Most special events, such as parades and festivals, are organized by non-profit organizations. The borough charges hosts for related costs, including public works and police staffing.
Glenny listened to the concerns and created three standard parade routes to increase efficiency and make costs more predictable.
Council President Matthew Moon acknowledged Glenny’s efforts and commended him for having the foresight despite the objections.
“While we haven’t had an incident like that here, that doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen,” Moon said. “I think time has shown those precautions were warranted.”
Main Street Gettysburg Executive Director Jill Sellers, whose organization manages A Gettysburg Christmas Festival, said her team welcomes Glenny’s future recommendations.
Hazardous Chemical Disposal
While Glenny focuses on keeping people safe at public events, Historic and Environmental Preservation Coordinator Debra English aims to protect people and the Earth from toxic chemicals.
English asked council their thoughts on the borough hosting a hazardous chemical disposal event. The borough would need to contract with an outside vendor at a cost of approximately $11,000, English said. The borough’s Stormwater Authority may be interested in helping to cover the costs since public outreach is one of its initiatives. Moon said he believes such an event is warranted but preferred to garner public interest before asking council to make a decision.
“If that is something that interests you, please let your council representatives know,” Moon said.
Snow Business
Director of Planning, Zoning & Code Enforcement John Whitmore reminded the public that sidewalks must be cleared 24 hours after a snow event. Whitmore said his office received several complaints about sidewalks after the recent snowfall but enforcement is often difficult because the snow melts before the code enforcement officer responds.
On a similar note, Parking Director Becka Fissel said citizens must move their cars during a snow emergency from a designated snow emergency route. Citizens are also forbidden from attempting to reserve parking spaces with cones, chairs, or other objects.
Alex J. Hayes has spent almost two decades in the Adams County news business. He is passionate about sharing stories focused on the people in our communities and following local governments in an age when few journalists report on their meetings. Alex is also a freelance writer for several other publications in South Central Pennsylvania. Alex encourages readers to contact him at ahayes83@gmail.com.